Ever since the release of the next generation consoles, gaming has undergone a shift in its foundations. Instead of an in depth single player experience, today’s games are built on a foundation of interconnectedness and seamless transitions from single player, to online multiplayer. The majority of press releases for games are tailored to promote the multiplayer experience, leaving single player modes to become a common afterthought.
The multiplayer world is potentially what is driving the success of certain game genres, leaving a question surrounding single player games and if they are still successful.
A new era for gaming
With this years E3 and Gamescom events now over, online multiplayer and co-op campaign titles are in full swing. With less focus on single player campaigns, leading game franchises such as Assassin’s Creed are turning the tides towards a co-op priority for new titles. Most gameplay demos feature some form of connectivity between players or a full force co-op campaign, most recently seen with the new Metal Gear title. All these factors present the course upon which the industry is headed, a new era where the single player experience is fading.
The Call of Duty franchise is a prime example of where success now resides within gaming. When we think ‘Call of Duty’, we think multiplayer and Esports, rarely do we think about the legendary stories told within their campaigns of old. There is even the notion of whether the single player experience is enough for gamers anymore, with certain games which only contain campaign having a much shorter life cycle.
The rise of the MMO genre
MMO stands for ‘Massively Multiplayer Online’, these games are the giants of the multiplayer scene and are slowly beginning to transition onto console as well as PC. A good example of a successful console MMO is Destiny, a game dedicated solely to an online universe. Players of Destiny and similar MMO games experience large group activities and players co-exist in a connected, online world.
In today’s industry, the popularity of these games is skyrocketing, with games such as ‘League of Legends’, ‘Dota’ and ‘World of Warcraft’ generating high traffic on streaming websites. These games are what represents modern gaming, something drastically different from the single player experiences we grew up with. What drives the success of these games is their longevity. These games can last for decades, with content being updated and maintained, MMO games represent a constantly evolving experience, something which single player campaigns are unable to do.
The little guys
While the industry is changing to push the multiplayer experience, we will always have very popular and revolutionary ‘indie’ titles. Generally made by smaller developing studios, the indie genre is also booming, creating smaller, but well designed games. So, yes online multiplayer is leading the industry, but the indie genre will always be around to offer those one of a kind experiences. While single player is taking a step back, it continues to be reinvented by the little guys.
Our ending thoughts
After reflecting on how multiplayer is slowly becoming the dominant foundation for gaming, a common factor linking to its success, is content. Typically, an online game will have lots more content injected into it than a single player campaign, however, there are exceptions to this notion. Single player titles such as ‘Skyrim’ and ‘Grand Theft Auto’ are major players in the gaming market and are packed with content even after you beat the game.
This leaves us to speculate on the notion that gamers demand more from their games in today’s society, more than just a singular campaign. So how does the industry deliver that? Through extensive and constantly changing multiplayer experiences where there is a high amount of content. Is multiplayer the future of gaming? I believe so.